Most web projects start in the wrong place. The client sends a vague enquiry, the designer guesses at requirements and writes a scope based on assumptions, and then everyone wonders why the final site doesn't quite feel right. The fix is a good brief — and most people have never written one. Here's exactly what to include.
What is a design brief and why does it matter?
A web design brief is a document — or even just a clear set of notes — that tells your web designer what you need, who you're building for and what success looks like. It's not a contract, it's a communication tool. The better your brief, the faster and more accurately your designer can deliver something that actually works for your business.
Agencies and freelancers who ask for a brief before they quote are the good ones. It means they're thinking about outcomes, not just hours.
1. Start with your goals
Don't start with "I want a website that looks modern." Start with what you want the website to do. Are you trying to generate leads, sell products online, build credibility with a specific type of client or reduce the number of phone calls you take explaining what you do?
The more specific you are about the outcome, the better the brief. "I want to increase enquiries from commercial clients in Edinburgh by 30% in the next six months" is a brief. "I want a nice website" is not.
2. Describe your audience
Who is going to visit the site? Not in vague terms — think about specific people. What's their job title? What problem are they trying to solve? Are they comparing multiple suppliers? Do they tend to make decisions quickly or do they take weeks to research? What makes them choose one company over another?
If you serve multiple audiences, list them in priority order. The homepage can only do one thing well, so your designer needs to know who the primary visitor is.
3. List your competitors
Include three to five competitor websites with a note on what they do well and what you want to do differently. This isn't about copying — it's about positioning. If all your competitors have busy, cluttered sites, there's a clear opportunity to stand out by being clean and direct. If they all look similar, you need to think about what makes your offering different and how the design should reflect that.
Also include one or two websites from outside your industry that you admire. Often the most useful design inspiration comes from somewhere completely different.
4. Outline the pages you need
Give a rough list of the pages your site needs. You don't need to be exact — that can be refined in the project kickoff — but a first pass helps your designer scope the project and give you an accurate quote. A typical small business site might need: Home, About, Services (or one page per service), Case Studies or Portfolio, Contact. If you have a blog, FAQs or pricing page, include those too.
5. Share your brand assets
If you already have a logo, send it in as a vector file (SVG or AI/EPS format). Include any brand guidelines, colour codes, fonts, or examples of marketing materials you've produced. If you're rebranding as part of the web project, say so clearly — brand identity work typically adds time and cost.
If you have no brand assets at all, that's completely fine to say. A good agency can help with this, but they need to know up front.
6. Be upfront about budget and timeline
This is the part most people avoid, but it's the most important. You don't have to quote a precise figure — a range is fine. "We're thinking somewhere between £3,000 and £6,000" gives a designer enough to work with. Without any budget indication, they're quoting blind and you'll end up comparing proposals that aren't solving the same problem.
The same goes for timeline. If you need to launch before a specific event or date, say so immediately. Rush fees exist for a reason, and you want to know about them before you're two weeks into a project.
Common briefing mistakes
Briefing by committee. If six people need to approve the final site, say so at the start — not at the end. Projects stall when a stakeholder appears late and starts the design conversation from scratch.
Assuming the designer will "just know." The best designers will ask questions, but they can't guess your business goals, your audience priorities or your tone of voice. Give them a starting point.
Vague design direction. "Modern, clean, professional" describes most websites built in the last five years. Be specific: "We want something similar in feel to [example], but darker and more confident in tone."
What happens after the brief?
Once your designer receives your brief, they should follow up with a kickoff call or a detailed questionnaire to fill in any gaps. They'll then come back with a proposal: scope, timeline, cost and usually a first-pass design direction or moodboard.
A good brief makes this response faster, more accurate and more relevant to what you actually need. It also sets the tone for how the whole project will run — agencies treat clients who've done their preparation differently.